There isn’t one universal contents list that suits every workplace.

UK law says your first aid arrangements must be “adequate and appropriate”, and HSE is clear that the contents of your first aid kit should follow your first aid needs assessment, not just whatever came in a cheap box. That said, there are sensible starting points you can use and clear signs when you need to go further.

Start with your first aid needs assessment

Before you decide what to put in a kit, you need to know what you are preparing for.

A first aid needs assessment should look at:

• The type of work you do and the main hazards (for example, office work vs machinery, tools or chemicals).
• How many people are on site, including visitors and contractors.
• Your layout – multiple floors, separate buildings, remote areas or vehicles.
• How far you are from external emergency services and how quickly they can get to you.
• Any specific risks, such as work with hot surfaces, sharp tools, or lone working.

The outcome of that assessment should determine both how many kits you need and what sits in them – not the other way round.

Need help reviewing your current first aid kits?

HSE’s guide for low‑risk workplace kits

For low‑risk environments like most offices, shops and libraries, HSE suggests a simple baseline for a small first aid kit. There are also BS 8599 compliant first aid kits, which is the British Standard for workplace first aid provision in the UK.

In plain terms, that usually includes:

• A basic first aid guidance leaflet.
• Assorted sterile adhesive dressings (plasters) in various sizes.
• Sterile eye pads.
• Triangular bandages.
• Medium and large sterile wound dressings.
• Safety pins or clips to secure bandages.
• Disposable gloves.

This is not a mandatory list, but it is a useful starting point for low‑risk workplaces. Your needs assessment may show that you need more of these items, or that you need to add other things specific to your risks.

Using structured workplace kits as a benchmark

Modern workplace first aid kits are often sold against recognised contents structures for small, medium and large kits. These give a more comprehensive, standardised set of items than the bare minimum and scale quantities based on kit size.

In practice, that helps with:

• Ensuring a consistent level of provision across multiple areas or sites.
• Making it easier to restock and audit, because you know what “full” looks like for each kit size.
• Demonstrating that your kits are in line with widely used workplace standards when clients or auditors ask.

The important point is that these structured kits should support your needs assessment, not replace it. You still need to decide whether a particular area really needs a “large” kit, or whether a small standard kit plus a burns or eye‑wash kit is more appropriate for the work being done.

Using BS 8599 workplace kits as a benchmark

You can build your own kits from scratch, but many employers now use BS 8599‑style workplace kits (small, medium and large) as their starting point. These kits follow a British Standard for contents and quantities, designed specifically for modern workplaces.

They are useful because they:

• Give you a clear, structured contents list for different kit sizes.
• Scale quantities sensibly as you move from small to large kits.
• Make it easier to standardise provision across multiple areas or sites.
• Provide a recognised benchmark you can point to when clients or auditors ask what you have in place.

It is still your first aid needs assessment that decides how many kits you need, which size belongs where, and whether you also need specialist kits (for example burns, eye wash or vehicle kits). BS 8599 helps you fill the box properly once you have made those decisions, rather than replacing your judgement.

We use BS 8599‑1 workplace kits as our default specification for general workplaces, then adjust up or down where your risks call for something different.

When you need more than a basic kit

Many workplaces have risks that go beyond the low‑risk office example. Your needs assessment might point you towards additional kit types or contents, such as:

• Burns dressings and gels for catering, manufacturing or hot surface work.
• Eye irrigation (bottled eye wash) for work with dust, chemicals or flying particles.
• Additional gloves, trauma dressings or haemorrhage control items where there is a risk of more serious injury.
• Outdoor or vehicle kits for staff who work away from base or travel regularly.
• AEDs and associated pads where cardiac arrest risk, workforce size or public access justify them as part of your emergency arrangements.

For each addition, you should be able to explain which risk it is addressing and how it fits into your overall first aid plan.

Placement, labelling and access

What is in the kit is only useful if people can find and use it quickly.

Good practice includes:

• Placing kits where they are easy to reach, not locked in a cupboard or hidden in an office.
• Using standard green and white first aid signs so staff know where to look.
• Providing more than one kit in larger or multi‑storey premises so nobody has to travel too far in an emergency.
• Making sure all staff know where kits are and who the first aiders or appointed persons are.

Your audit trail should show why each kit is where it is – for example, one per floor, one per workshop area, one in the warehouse, and one in reception for visitors.

Keeping your kits suitable over time

A well‑stocked kit today will not stay that way without some care. HSE highlights that many items in first aid kits have expiry dates, and that kits should be checked regularly and replenished after use.

A sensible system will usually include:

• Regular checks – monthly for higher‑risk or high‑use areas, at least quarterly for low‑risk offices, plus checks after significant incidents.
• Replacement of expired or damaged items – removing anything past its expiry date or no longer in good condition.
• Updates when your risks change – adding or adjusting contents when you introduce new processes, equipment or layouts.
• Simple records – a log of checks and restocking so you can show what you’ve done if anyone asks.

If you’d like a second pair of eyes

If you’re not sure whether your kits really match your risks, or you have inherited a mix of boxes with unknown contents, it’s worth stepping back and getting a clear view.

We can:

• Audit your existing first aid kits across one or more sites.
• Compare what you have against your risks and HSE’s expectations.
• Recommend a proportionate mix of kit sizes and specialist kits.
• Set up a managed restocking schedule so you are not constantly chasing expiry dates.

That way, you can answer the question “what should be in our workplace first aid kits?” with confidence – and show your reasoning if inspectors, clients or staff ever ask.